Rotary engine.



- No. 805,164. PATENTED Nov. 21, 1905.

N. B. SMITH.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 110v. 26,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1:

PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. N. R. SMITH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.26,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W 7 A; i U 1, 5 1% M H S o I. 5 LN y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '21, 1905.

A plication filed November 26, 1904. Serial No. 234.394.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NORMAN R. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvernents in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in rotary engines, and

views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved engine, illustrating by dotted lines the two series of swing-arms. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing one of the casing-heads removed and the casing partly broken away and in section to illustrate the construction and arrangement of the reversing and controlling valves. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the casing, showing one pair of the swing-arms, one of the arms being shown in closed and the other in open position.

The casing designated at 1 includes a tubular portion, which may be formed with projections 1 on its inner face, equallyspaced apart, and receives on its opposite side faces heads 2 3, preferably bolted thereto, the piston 4, which is formed with a pair of wings 5 5, disposed diametrically opposite one another, fitting snugly between the heads and being mounted on a shaft 7, which has its bearings in said heads. 7 For the purpose of imparting to the piston either clockwise or anticlockwise movement I provide two series of swing-arms, the arms of one series being arranged in pairs with the arms of the other series, swing-arms 8 of one series thus being arranged in pairs with swing-arms 9 of the other series, each pair being oppositely disposed with relation to one another and each arm being curved orbowed, as shown.

The swing-arms 8 are each formed with a rectangular head portion 8, which fits snugly but freely between the heads 2 3 and with a pair of spaced-apart stems 10, to which is secured at the outer ends thereof an inwardlyprojecting circular boss 12, disposed trans versely of the stems and rotatably embraced in part by the wall of a correspondingly formed recess 13, provided in the tubular portion of casing 1.

The swing-arms 9 are each formed with a rectangular head 9, which fits snugly but freely between the heads 2 3, and with a single stem 14, received freely between stems 10 of swing-arm 8, an inwardly-projecting circular boss 15 being provided on said stem 14 transversely thereof and rotatably embraced in part by the wall of a correspondinglyformed recess 15 in the casing 1, arm 8 being cut away on its under face, as at 14, to receive boss 15.

Heads 8 and 9 of swing-arms 8 and 9 are formed with projecting arc-shaped plates 16 and 17, respectively, the are being concentric to the aXis of the respective swing-arms, correspondingly-curved pockets 16 and 17 being formed in the casing 1 to receive said plates. Retractile springs 18 are preferably employed and, as shown, are secured to the under sides of heads 8 and 9, respectively, and to the bottom walls of suitable recesses formed in the casing 1, said recesses being of sufficient depth to receive said springs when in their retracted positions, at which time the swing-arms are in normal position, the heads of the arms being formed to fit against the side surfaces of the projections 1.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have illustrated the ar rangement of the reversing and controlling valves, one of each of which is provided adjacent each of the projections 1 of the casing at which points steam-chambers 28 are provided. Mounted in the wall of the casing 1, adjacent each chamber 28, is a rotary controlling-valve 26, formed with a passage-way 25, and having a stem 24 secured thereto, which stem projects from the head 2 of the casing. Leading from said chamber to the seat of said valve are passages 22 and 23, and leading from said seat to the interior of casing 1 are ingress-ports 22 and 23, which are related to the passages 22 and 23, respectively. The passage-way in valve 26 is suitably disposed to serve intermittently as a crossover between one port of ingress and its related passage when the valve is rotated in one direction, and to serve in a like capacity between the other port and passage when the valve is reversely rotated.

The inner ends of ports 22 and 23 are located at suitable points to direct the steam against the outer sides of the adjacent head. portions of swing-arms 9 and 8, respectively, between the pressure-plates carried thereby, whereby the steam is caused to open said arms as it enters the casing.

For each pair of passages 22 and 23 I provide a valve, as 31, for the purpose of closing either passage, as desired, in reversing the engine. The reversing-valve is shown in the form of a plate swingingly mounted between the outer ends of said passages and secured to a stem 31, which projects through a suitable stuffing-box 32.

The stems of the reversing-valves 31 are connected with suitable reversing mechanism which, as shown, consists of arms 33, secured to the stems of the lower valves, an operatingcrank 34, secured to the stem of the upper valve and formed with opposite arms, and a suitable handle part and opposite rods 35, pivotally connected with respective arms 33 and with respective arms of the operatingcrank.

For the purpose of connecting the controlling-valves 26 and engine-shaft 7 for simultaneous operation sprocket-wheels 37 are secured to the stems of the valves, and a linkbelt 38, engaged with said sprockets and sprocket-wheels 39 and 40, are secured to the stem of the upper valve and to the engineshaft, respectively, and a link-belt 41 engaged with the said last sprockets.

In the head 2 of the casing ports of egress 42 are provided, which communicate with pipe-sections 43 43, leading to an exhaustpipe 44.

Connected with the upper steam-chamber 28 is a gate-valve 46, which is adapted for connection with a source of steam-supply, and leading from said chamber are opposite steam-pipes 47, which are connected with the lower chambers 28. Thus steam admitted through valve 46 is distributed to all.

to passages 23, leading to the several controlling-valves 26, which are operated correlatively to rotations of the piston to admit steam to the ports of ingress 23 as the wings on said piston pass clear of the free ends of respective spring-arms 8. The steam serves to raise the arms and enters the casing, acting expansively between heads 16 and wings 5, following cut-oil action of valves 26 to drive the piston until the exhaust-ports are reached, at which time the steam exhausts. If it is desired to reverse the movement of the piston to anticlockwise, it is merely necessary to shut off the steam and shift the position of the operating-crank, thus closing passages 23 and opening passages 22, allowing the steam to act, when the valve 26 is again opened on arms 9 instead of arms 8.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having egress-ports, and the winged piston rotatably mounted in the easing, of two series of spring-retracted swingarms arranged about the casing interior, the arms of one series being arranged in pairs with the arms of the other series, said arms comprising heads, plates projecting therefrom and stems, the stems of each pair of arms lying adjacent each other, two-Way admission-valves, said valves having their passages underlying an arm of one pair and the adjacent arm of the adjacent pair, and means for operating the valves.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having ingress and egress ports, and a Winged piston rotatably mounted in the casing, of two series of swing-arms arranged about the casing interior, the arms of one series being arranged in pairs with the arms of the other series and oppositely disposed with relation thereto, said arms comprising heads, plates projecting therefrom and received in recesses provided therefor in said casing, retractile springs received and secured in recesses provided therefor in said casing and connected to said arms, said casing having its ports of ingress underlying the adjacent heads of adjacent pairs of arms,and means for controlling said ingress-ports.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having ingress and egress ports, and the winged piston mounted rotatably in the casing, of a series of spring-retracted swing-arms overlying said ingressports, and arranged about the casing interior, a projecting plate adjacent the forward end of the swing-arms and received in a recess provided therefor in said casing, means for controlling said ingress-ports, and means for operating said controlling means.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having ingress and egress ports, and the winged piston mounted in said IIO casing, of a pair of swing-arms mounted in said casing, the point of swing of each arm lying intermediate the ends of the other arm.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having ingress and egress ports, and the winged piston mounted in the casing, of a pair of swing-arms mounted in the casing, the point of swing of each arm underlying the other arm.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having ingress and egress ports, and the winged piston mounted in the casin of a pair of swing-arms arranged side by si e in said casing.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having ingress and egress ports, and the Winged piston mounted there- NORMAN R. SMITH.

Witnesses:

LEwIs G. BoYNToN, J. JEROME LIGHTFOOT. 

